1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system manufacture, and more particularly to an information handling system low power image customization.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems come in a wide variety of forms that are adaptable to a wide variety of functions. For example, desktop information handling systems provide robust solutions with good processing capabilities at fixed locations, such as in an office space, while portable information handling systems provide convenience and adequate processing capabilities for accomplishing mobile tasks, such as word processing, e-mail and web browsing. Specific systems are built with a wide range of components to adapt to desired processing and footprint design goals. Generally, each information handling system includes a non-volatile memory device that provides long term storage of information needed for operation of the information handling system, such as an operating system and applications. For example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD) is typically included in each information handling system with an operating system and applications that are installed during manufacture. Often, the operating system and applications are installed as an “image” during manufacture by copying to the manufactured information handling system's non-volatile memory a copy of the operating system and applications as they would exist on an operational information handling system, thus bypassing the installation process. For instance, Ghost or other imaging systems copy the image to the newly manufactured information handling system at a “burn rack” after assembly of hardware components.
Large enterprises that use large numbers of information handling systems often develop custom images for installation on information handling systems manufactured for the enterprises. Custom images are often installed at the location of the physical manufacture of the information handling systems. As an alternative, custom images are installed at a regional location that is closer to the location of the delivery of the information handling systems. With a regional installation, information handling systems that are assembled and packaged at distant locations are shipped to a regional location, unpackaged, powered up, imaged, repackaged and then shipped to their destination. Imaging at distant, centralized manufacturing locations tends to increase shipping time for information handling systems as compared with shipping of un-imaged systems, however, unpackaging and repackaging information handling systems for regional imaging adds to the expense of the systems due to the greater amount of handling required. As one example, the added handling of unpackaging and repackaging information handling systems for regional imaging added expense to each system versus performing imaging at the manufacture location. Although regional imaging adds expense to each system, it also allows the use of an inventory of commonly-ordered hardware configurations to be rapidly delivered from regional locations instead of from manufacture locations, which are often overseas.